2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Turkle
A surname derived from the Turkish word "Türk," referring to an ancestor of Turkish descent or origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Turkle. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Turkle surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Turkle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Turkle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Turkle
The surname Turkle is believed to have originated in England, with records showing its presence as early as the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "türc," meaning "Turk" or "Turkish person," suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who had connections to Turkey or the Turkish people.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mention a John Turkyl. This spelling variation likely arose due to the difficulties in standardizing surnames during that time period.
In the 14th century, the Turkle surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which listed a Thomas Turkyll. This document provides evidence of the name's continued use and its spread across different regions of England.
During the 15th century, the surname Turkle gained further recognition, with notable individuals bearing the name emerging. For instance, Richard Turkle (c. 1440-1510) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, known for his extensive business dealings and property holdings.
As time progressed, the Turkle surname continued to be found in various parts of England. In the 16th century, Thomas Turkle (c. 1520-1587) was a respected clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire for over three decades.
Moving into the 17th century, the Turkle surname was well-established, with several notable figures bearing the name. One such individual was John Turkle (1625-1698), a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics.
In the 18th century, the Turkle name gained further prominence with the rise of William Turkle (1745-1820), a successful businessman and landowner in Yorkshire. His descendants continued to play significant roles in the local community for generations.
As the 19th century dawned, the Turkle surname remained prominent, with individuals like Elizabeth Turkle (1810-1892), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, making significant contributions to society.
Throughout its history, the Turkle surname has been associated with various locations across England, including Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, and others, reflecting the name's widespread distribution and adaptation over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Turkle
Among Census respondents with the surname Turkle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Turkle bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Turkle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 101
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Turkle
Turkle appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,809 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,809 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,182 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Turkle surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #149,446 | 2.1% |
| Count | 107 | 110 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Turkle bearers went from 107 to 110 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #149,446.
FAQ
Turkle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Turkle?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Turkle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Turkle?
Turkle ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Turkle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Turkle.
Has Turkle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Turkle went from 107 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Turkle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Turkle, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Turkle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Turkle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Turkle (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Turkle mean?
A surname derived from the Turkish word "Türk," referring to an ancestor of Turkish descent or origin. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Turkle (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Turkle?
Want to know how many people are called Turkle? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.